Place pointer over dive flag to identify the wreckIolantheEmpress of India (should be slightly more to the East)L24AlgarveMFVGraneBuccaneerSalsettePomeranianSt. DunstanMoidartAilsa CraigPolkerisRecoilHMS BoadiceaAvalancheL H CarlTritoLordstampElmcrestMerchant RoyalValdesWarriorStartA3Aeolian SkyeBlack Hawk (bow section)ScaldisHMS BitternSidonUB62AmyKingston CairngormBlack Hawk (stern section)EthelAlex Van OpstelLulworth BanksM2UB74P555FrognorBlackwoodBritish InventorBennendijkElenar R
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Elena R

Depth:

 27m Sunk: November 1939
Type: Greek steamship Reason: Mined
Tonnage: 4500 tonnes Position: 50 30'N 02 20' W
Size: 12m x 16m Condition: Broken
 
   
The Elena R was on her way to Antwerp when she was mined. Salvaged, she sits on a gravel seabed,
standing some seven metres high in places and almost buried in others. There's a lot of life on the
wreck.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Bennendijk  

Depth:

27m

 Sunk: October 1939
Type: Dutch steamship Reason: Mined
Tonnage: 6,873 tonnes Position: 50 32'N 02 20'W
Size: 121m x 16m Condition: Broken
 
Known as the "Benny", the Bennendijk was mined while in the main  
shipping channel. Despite being very broken due to heavy clearance
and salvage, she stands several metres in places. The seabed is
coarse, however, the visibility is often low due to the wreck being near
the Adamant Shoal and the Shambles bank. The upside to the
Benny''s location is that she's often sheltered when every others, apart
from those in the harbour, are blown out.  
 
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
   
 
British Inventor (bow section)

Depth:

20m

 Sunk: 13th June 1940
Type: British oil tanker Reason: Mined
Tonnage: 7101 tonnes Position: 50 35' 52''N 02 18' 48''W
Size: 130m Condition: Broken
   

The steam powered British Inventor was carrying 10,568 tons of fuel

 

and diesel oil when she struck a mine. Originally sailing from Gibraltar

to Lands End, her destination was changed to Southampton, via

Portland. On the morning of the incident, the British Inventor was

approaching Portland when a patrol vessel told her to enter with the

mine sweepers. The tanker was told to wait at a position near Chiswick point but couldn't locate it on

the chart. Shortly after, the Inventor was struck in number 3 or 4 tank on the port side near the bow.

An attempt to beach the ship was started but, on realizing she had broken her back, it was aborted.

The crew left the ship and boarded the patrol vessel. Two tugs came out to tow the ship to port. After

two hours of this the British Inventor suddenly the bows sunk leaving the stern on the surface and the

prop out of the water.

 

      
 
 

During the the next few weeks the stern section of the ship was

 
salvaged and sold as scrap. One of the bow sections now lies on the
Lulworth banks, well broken and scattered, only ribs and plates are left.
Its highest point is only a couple of metres off the rocky seabed.
There's a lot of marine life here.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
       
   
   
   
 
Blackwood (possibly)  

Depth:

53m - 70m

 Sunk: June 1944  
Type: Frigate Reason: Torpedoed  
Tonnage: 1,150 tonnes Position:    
Size:   Condition:    
   
This wreck is possibly that of the Blackwood. She is lying in one of the  
deep holes where the seabed is around seventy metres. The top of the  
wreck is at fifty three metres.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
P555  

Depth:

40m

 Sunk: August 1947  
Type: Ex American sub Reason: sonar target  
Tonnage: 1062 tonnes Position: 50 30'N 02 33'W  
Size: 66m x 6m Condition: Intact - upright  
   
The P555 lies completely intact on a shingle and gravel seabed. Sitting  
upright, her wooden deck is at 33 metres. She lies along the tide,  
sitting East to West.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Frognor  

Depth:

34m

 Sunk: May 1918  
Type: Norwegian steam Reason: Torpedoed  
Tonnage: 1,476 tonnes Position: 50 31'N 02 33'W  
Size: 78m x 11m x 6m Condition:    
   
The Frognor has been salvaged and stands seven metres off the  
seabed.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
UB74  

Depth:

 34m Sunk: May 1918  
Type: German sub Reason: depth charges  
Tonnage: 660 tonnes Position: 50 32'N 02 33' W  
Size: 55m x 6m Condition: Broken  
   
The German U boat, UB74, was laid to rest by depth charges dropped  
from the Lorna, an armed yacht. She has been heavily salvaged.  
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Lulworth Banks (drift dive)  
Lulworth Banks has an extremely varied seabed with depths from 12 to  
25 metres Marine life is in abundance with lots of scallops on the  
sandy areas. The wreck of the British Inventor lies here.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Alex Van Opstel

Depth:

30m

 Sunk: September 1939
Type: Belgian liner Reason: Mine
Tonnage: 5,965 tonnes Position: 50:09:21N 02:03:17 W
Size: 127m x 17m Condition: Very broken
   
The Alex Van Opstel was en route from New York to Antwerp when  
she was hit by a mine. Her bow is still recognisable and stands 7  
metres above the seabed. Salvage work has reduced the stern to a  
tangledweb of wreckage. She lies SW / NE on a seabed of sand and  
gravel.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Ethel  

Depth:

38m

 Sunk:  
Type: steamship Reason:  
Tonnage: 2,000 tonnes Position: 2 miles off shambles  
Size:   Condition: Broken  
   
The Ethel stands six 6 metres off the seabed.  
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Black Hawk (stern section)

Depth:

36m - 48m

 Sunk: 29th Dec 1944
Type: Armed steam Reason: Torpedoed
Tonnage: Position: 50 22'N 02 25'W
Size: 134 x 17 x 10m Condition:

On the 28th December, 1944, the American Liberty Ship Black Hawk was sailing in convoy from

Cherbourg, bound for Fowey in Cornwall. On the way, the convoy was to stop off at St. Helens Roads
on the Isle of Wight, where the convoy would be joined by more vessels.
The convoy was roughly four and a half miles South of Portland Bill when they were spotted by the
German submarine, U772. The Black hawk was the second ship in the convoy to receive a torpedo hit.
It struck the stern, breaking it right off.

It was decided that the Black Hawk was to be towed to Worbarrow bay to be beached. The wreck

remained here until after the war when the Royal Navy decided to blow her as she was a navigational

hazard. She was blown again in the 1960's to make way for a pipeline.
Today, the stern section lies on her starboard side on a gravel, shingle and sand seabed, the prop
missing.
   
   
 
   

 

  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Kingston Cairngorm  

Depth:

50m

 Sunk: 18th October 1940  
Type: Naval steam trawler Reason: Mined  
Tonnage: 448 tonnes Position:    
Size:   Condition: Well blown  
   
Although thought to be the Kingston Cairngorm, the wreck is much  
larger than a 450 ton steam trawler. The wreck is well blown amidships  
and the bows lie to the East.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Amy  

Depth:

50m

 Sunk: 1928  
Type: small sailing ship Reason:    
Tonnage: Position:    
Size:   Condition:    
   
The Amy had no engine and sunk whilst making a film.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
UB62  

Depth:

50+m

 Sunk: October 1917  
Type: German Sub Reason: M  
Tonnage: tonnes Position:    
Size: m x m Condition: B  
 
This German submarine lies North to South, with a hole in port side  
and a list to starboard.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Sidon  

Depth:

34m

 Sunk: 1955  
Type: British S class sub Reason:  
Tonnage: 900 tonnes Position: 50 32'N 02 42'W  
Size: 66m x 7m x 4m Condition: Broken  
   

The Sidon, an S Class submarine, suffered an unfortunate career

 

sinking twice. The first time was during 1955 when she sunk in

 

Portland harbour losing the lives of 13 men. Following this incident, she

 
was raised and towed out to her present position and deliberately sunk  
as an ASDIC target.  
 

The Sidon now lies NW / SE and although broken, is still recognisable

 
as a submarine.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
HMS Bittern  

Depth:

33m

 Sunk: 4th April 1918  
Type: Gun boat Reason: Collision  
Tonnage: Position:    
Size: 60 x 7m Condition: Broken  
   
The Bittern was believed to be a C Class torpedo gun boat. She was  
lost in 1918 after a collision with the SS Kenilworth. She was capable  
of 30 knots, was coal fired and had two torpedo tubes on deck. HMS  
Bittern is sometimes mistaken for the submarine tender Hazard, which  
sunk off Portsmouth in the same year.  
 
The Bittern now lies broken with her bows listing starboard and her  
stern upright. She lies NW / SE and stands 6 metres from the seabed.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Scaldis  

Depth:

33m

 Sunk: January 1974  
Type: Trawler Reason:  
Tonnage: Position: 50 34'N 02 38'W  
Size: 24m Condition: Upright  
   
The Scaldis was last heard of in 1974. She lost all her crew. In 1975  
she was located in her present position. She sits upright on the  
seabed with her fishing gear out.  
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Black Hawk (bow section)

Depth:

18m

 Sunk: 29th DEC 1944
Type: Armed USA steam Reason: Torpedoed
Tonnage: Position: 50 36N 02 12W
Size: 134m x 17m x 10m Condition: Broken
 

The Black Hawk was torpedoed by a German U boat. The stern was blown away in the attack and the

remains were towed into Worbarrow and beached. Large pieces of machinery are still present on the

wreck. From the main wreckage, there are some big chains leading East North East for 200 metres to

a second part of the wreck. In 1969, the wreck was blown with explosives to make way for the Winfrith

pipeline.
Now lying in about 18 metres, she stands 3 metres from a seabed of rock and shingle. The area is tidal
see tide page to determine when you want to dive.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Aeolian Sky

Depth:

 21m - 30m Sunk: 4th Nov 1979
Type: Greek freighter Reason: Collision
Tonnage: 14,385 tonnes Position: 50 30 '86''N 02 08' 36''W
Size: 138m Condition: Good - intact
On her way from Hull and Rotterdam,
the Aeolian Sky was twenty miles
north of Guernsey and in a south
westerly gale. At 4:30 am she
collided with the 2,400 ton Anna
Knuepell, a German coaster
returning to her home port of
Hamburg. The Aeolian Sky's hull was
badly damaged resulting in number
one hold taking on water.
The Sky sent a distress signal which was picked up by the Abeille
Langudoc, a French ocean going tug based in Cherbourg.
 

 
The tug managed to get a line to the sky and the Anna Knuepell, only
slightly damaged in collision, stood by along with the Riverina, a bulk
carrier, who had also answered the Sky's call. Fortunately, no one was
hurt in the incident but by now the Sky's bows were sinking and the
wind & tide pushing the vessel North East, towards mid channel,
 
At 9:30 am, a RN helicopter from Lee-on-Solent evacuated
most of the crew but then had to return to base with engine
trouble, leaving a handful of crew still on board the sinking
vessel. By now her bows were just above sea level. She had
drifted so far that the French tug had to abort the original plan
to tow her to Cherbourg and head for the Solent instead.
At 3:15 pm, the Port Authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth
declined the Aeolian Sky permission to enter. They feared the
possibility of the stricken vessel sinking in the shipping lanes and
bringing the ports to a standstill.
 
 
The tug now turned into the wind and set course for Portland Harbour.
On November 4th, however at 3:45 in the morning her holds finally took
on too much water and the Aeolian Sky sank.
She was carrying an assorted cargo including two diesel electric locomotives and thousands of jars of
Marmite. Several days later it became apparent that the ship also had four million pounds worth of new
bank notes onboard, destined for the Seychelles government. The first accounted divers on the wreck
came up empty handed fuelling stories of outlaw divers getting there first. The notes were cancelled
rendering them worthless.

A very popular wreck during the summer season, the Aeolian Sky lies

on her port side on a limestone seabed. She stands 12 metres high
with her bow South and her stern North. On a flat calm day it's
possible to see where the she is by the effect the tide has on the
surface as it moves over the wreck. Slack water in this area is often
not at the predicted time so it's worth arriving early.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
A3

Depth:

38m

 Sunk: 2nd Feb 1912
Type: British submarine Reason: Collision
Tonnage: 190 tonnes Position: 50 31'41''N 02 11'25''W
Size: 32m x 4m x 3m Condition: Upright, complete  
 

Almost nine years after her launch, the A3 was one of several A & C

Class submarines that left Portsmouth harbour HMS Hazard. They

were heading for the Isle of Wight on exercises. At the time, the A3

was in command of Lieutenant Ormand, normally the A4's Commander.
At the start of the exercise, the A3 was on HMS Hazards starboard bow and dived in the usual way.

Ten minutes later the Hazard was struck at the stern. Within a minute a mass of air bubbles surfaced,

identifying the A3's position. The position was marked and a salvaged vessel requested.

By the time the salvage divers arrived, the wind had picked up to a point preventing any salvage taking
place. On 8th March, five weeks later when conditions allowed the A3 to be raised a few metres off the
seabed. She was then towed to Portsmouth,via St Helens Roads near Ryde, where divers made the
fixings more permanent.
Once in Portsmouth, the A3 was pumped out and the bodies of the fourteen crew taken to Hasler
Hospital. The A3 had a two metre split in her hull. The crew would have drowned immediately. On the
17th May, 1912, the A3 was towed for some experiments and then sunk by the guns of the
dreadnought St. Vincent.

 
 
 
 
 

 

  
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
   
   
   
   
 
Start

Depth:

36m - 40m

 Sunk: 22nd DEC 1917
Type: Norwegian steamer Reason: Torpedoed
Tonnage: 728 tonnes Position: 50 28' 26''N 01 49' 59''W
Size: 62m x 9m x 3.5m Condition: Broken  
   

The Start was taking a cargo of coal from Swansea, South Wales, to

 
Rouen in France when she was attacked by the German submarine  
UB57. From a crew of fourteen there were only two survivors.  
 
Today, the Start rests on a shingle seabed standing four metres. Well  
broken and salvaged, her stern lies on its port side, the prop & rudder  
clearly visible. The bow is upright but the plates have rusted away  
leaving only the stern post. Visibility is often good, particularly HW on a  
neap tide.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Warrior (II)

Depth:

54m

 Sunk: January or 11th July 1940
Type: Requisitioned yacht Reason: German aircraft
Tonnage: 1,124 tonnes Position: 50:21:56N 02:12:23W
Size: 86m x 10m x Condition: Broken  

The Warrior was first launched in 1904 and an extremely luxurious

yacht. She went through several different names as she changed
owners Her last owners renamed her Warrior. At the out break of the
Second World War the Royal Navy requisitioned the yacht and named
her Warrior II, as they already had a ship called Warrior.
 
Fitted with just a single gun, the Warrior II was attacked by over fifty
German aircraft. She received a bomb to her decks, smashing through
the ship and blowing a hole through her side. She sits up to five metres
in places. The swimming pool is recognisable.